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Pasta Bolognese

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recipe by dengar

Bolognese sauce, known in Italian as ragù alla bolognese, ragù bolognese, or simply ragù, is a meat-based sauce originating from Bologna, Italy. In Italian cuisine, it is customarily used to dress "tagliatelle al ragù" and to prepare "lasagne alla bolognese". In the absence of tagliatelle, it can also be used with other broad, flat pasta shapes, such as pappardelle or fettuccine. Genuine ragù alla bolognese is a slowly cooked sauce, and its preparation involves several techniques, including sweating, sautéing and braising. Ingredients include a characteristic soffritto of onion, celery and carrot, different types of minced or finely chopped beef, often alongside small amounts of fatty lamb. Red wine and a small amount of tomato concentrate or tomatoes are added, and the dish is then gently simmered at length to produce a thick sauce. The earliest documented recipe of an Italian meat-based sauce (ragù) served with pasta comes from late 18th century Imola, near Bologna. A recipe for a meat sauce for pasta that is specifically described as being "bolognese" appeared in Pellegrino Artusi's cookbook of 1891. The ragù alla bolognese that is now traditionally associated with tagliatelle and lasagne is somewhat different from Artusi's recipe. Many traditional variations currently exist. In 1982 the Italian Academy of Cuisine registered a recipe for authentic ragù alla bolognese with the Bologna Chamber of Commerce (incorporating some fresh pancetta and a little milk). In Italy, ragù alla bolognese is often referred to simply as ragù; and in Bologna, tagliatella. Outside Italy, the phrase "Bolognese sauce" often refers to a tomato-based sauce to which mince (beef or pork) has been added; such sauces typically bear little resemblance to ragù alla bolognese. Whereas in Italy ragù is not used with spaghetti, so-called "spaghetti bolognese" has become a popular dish in many other parts of the world in spite of complaints against it one of the "crimes against ragù. This receipe describes a more common form of Bolognese, served outside the Bologna region.

Preparation time: 30 mins

Cooking time: 180 mins

Serves: 8

Difficulty: Moderate

Hotness Level: Mild

Ingredients

Ingredient	Amount
Onion	500	g
Carrots	4	pc
Fresh Garlic	3	cl
Tomato Passata	500	ml
Chopped Tomatoes (Tin)	2	tin
Tomato Puree	2	tbsp
Dried Basil	4	tsp
Dried Oregano	3	tsp
Dried Chilli Flakes	3	tsp
Vegetable Stock (Powder)	2	tsp
Sweet Paprika	4	tsp
Fettuccine	1	kg
Extra Virgin Olive Oil	4	tbsp

Step-by-Step

Step 1:

Let's prepare the fresh ingredients first: chop the onion into fine pieces. Peel and grate the carrots, also finely. Peel the garlic. If you do have a press, you can leave the cloves whole, if not you should also cut them *very* finely. It may also be good to open all the tins at this stage, so you can access them easily.

Step 2:

Let's sautee the onions: add 2 spoons of olive oil into a large saucepan and heat as so to sautee the onions in it. Once hot, add the onions and season with pepper, salt and vegetable stock. Cook the onion until they become clear. Empty the pot and set aside for a moment.

Step 3:

Now it's time to prepare the meat: add the mince to the hot pot, add just 1 spoon of olive oil to fry the meat. Fry the meat on a medium heat stirring occasionally. Also add 2 tsp of paprika, some vegetable stock, salt, pepper and one garlic clove. You want to cook out all the water that is stored in the fat of the beef. Keep frying until almost all the water is evaporated.

Step 4:

At this stage add both the sauteed onions and grated carrots into the pot. Stir in and wait until the carrots, onion and beef have fused with another. Everything should be evenly spread at this stage.

Step 5:

Now add the tinned tomatoes and passata and heat until slowly cooking. Add the tomato puree, remaining garlic, herbs and use the remaining spices to season to your liking. At this stage, the ragu just needs to cook for a few hours.

Step 6:

After about 2 hours, add water to a large pot for the fettuccine. Add a 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to boil before adding the pasta. Cook the pasta for about 12 minutes, checking occasionally if the pasta is to your liking. Once done, drain the fettuccine using a strainer, briefly showering them with cold water so they do not stick together. It's ready to serve. Enjoy!